Quick answer: the deadline that anchors most of the schedule is the 6-month creditor claim window, running from first publication — but it only holds if publication was done correctly. See the full Illinois probate timeline calculator for your specific estimate.
The core deadlines, in order
| Deadline | Illinois rule | Statute |
|---|---|---|
| Notice to creditors published | Once/week for 3 consecutive weeks | 755 ILCS 5/18-3 |
| Direct notice to known creditors | By mail, alongside publication | 755 ILCS 5/18-3 |
| Publisher's affidavit filed with court | After publication completes | 755 ILCS 5/18-3 |
| Inventory due | Within 60 days of appointment | 755 ILCS 5/24-1 |
| Creditor claim deadline | Later of 6 months from publication, or 3 months from mailing | 755 ILCS 5/18-3 |
| Absolute bar (regardless of letters) | 2 years from date of death | 755 ILCS 5/18-12 |
| Illinois estate tax return (if required) | Form 700 within 9 months of death | 35 ILCS 405 |
The publication trap
Why this matters: the 6-month creditor claim period under 755 ILCS 5/18-3 only starts once the Notice to Creditors has been properly published — once a week for three consecutive weeks — and documented with a publisher's affidavit filed with the court. If that step is skipped or done incorrectly, the representative may not be able to show the 6-month clock ever properly started, effectively leaving the estate exposed to the full 2-year outer bar under § 18-12 instead of the much shorter statutory window.
Good-faith protection, not a personal shield forever
A representative who acts in good faith to identify and notify creditors isn't personally liable for a claim that surfaces late. But that claim isn't extinguished — it can still be asserted against estate assets that haven't yet been distributed, and against distributees up to the amount that would have gone to that creditor had it been paid on time.
Facing probate in Illinois?
Talk to an Illinois attorneyA local probate attorney can review your estate — many offer a free consultation.